Egyptian opposition united in anger over Morsy's new powers

By the CNN Wire Staff

Updated 0308 GMT (1108 HKT) November 24, 2012

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – A street vendor grills corn as Egyptian soldiers stand guard at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, December 18, in Cairo. Protesters opposed to President Mohamed Morsy's first round of voting in the constitutional referendum gather during continuing demonstrations.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration at the Presidential Palace on December 18 in Cairo.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – An Egyptian woman types on her laptop before the start of a demonstration opposing President Mohamed Morsy on December 18 in Cairo.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – People make their way through a market place on Monday, December 17, in Cairo.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – A supporter of Egypt's President Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood holds Quran as he shouts during a demonstration in Cairo on Friday, December 14.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Women pray during a demonstration in support of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on December 14.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Egyptian army tanks are deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Thursday, December 13. Egypt's crisis showed no sign of easing as the army delayed unity talks meant to ease political divisions and the opposition set near-impossible demands for taking part in a looming constitutional referendum.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – Girls walk with Egypt's national flag draped over their backs to a rally for supporters of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on Tuesday, December 11.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Protesters on December 11 attempt to bring down cement walls that security forces placed around the presidential palace in Cairo.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Security forces stand guard in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Protesters opposed to Egypt's president demonstrate on top of a barricade erected by the Egyptian army to protect the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – A young protester climbs atop a barricade erected by the Egyptian army on December 11. There were no incidents of violence and soldiers held the line as a couple of hundred protesters pressed up against waist-high crowd barriers.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – Protesters remove part of a metal barrier protecting the presidential palace on December 11.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – Egyptian army troops stand guard in front of a metal barricade on December 11.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – An Egyptian army soldier patrols outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Monday, December 10, in Cairo. The Egyptian political crisis erupted last month when President Mohamed Morsy issued an edict allowing himself to run the country unchecked until the drafting of a new constitution.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Members of the Egyptian opposition gather for a protest outside the presidential palace on Sunday, December 9, in Cairo. The palace has been the scene of violent clashes pitting thousands of protesters -- for and against Morsy.

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Photos:Egyptians protest president's powers

Egyptians protest presidential powers – Guy Fawkes masks are displayed by a street vendor in front of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo on December 9. The masks depict Fawkes, a rebel executed in England's Gunpowder Plot seeking to blow up the House of Lords in the early 1600s.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – Egyptian army engineers and soldiers build a third line of concrete blocks outside of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo in preparation for more protests on December 9.

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Egyptians protest presidential powers – An Egyptian protester sweeps the street near army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on December 8, after continued protests overnight.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A sticker depicting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy reads "leave" on the ground near the presidential palace on December 8.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Egyptian soldiers take position on a road leading to the presidential palace on December 8.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A protester tries to climb over a barbed-wire fence as Egyptian soldiers stand guard during a demonstration near the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, December 7.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and members of the Muslim Brotherhood shout during the funerals of fellow Morsy supporters at Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo on December 7.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Protesters angry over Morsy's decisions giving himself unchecked powers surround the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo after starting a fire inside the compound on Thursday, December 6.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Riot police form a line as anti-Morsy protesters surge around the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo on December 6.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – An anti-Morsy protester shouts during a march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on December 6.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Protesters are blocked from approaching the the presidential palace by the Egyptian army on December 6 in Cairo.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsy supporters destroy tents of anti-Morsy protesters outside the presidential palace on December 5.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Morsy supporters carry an injured man to safety during clashes with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Egyptian riot police stand behind barbwire as thousands of Egyptian demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, December 4.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Tens of thousands of demonstrators encircled the presidential palace in Cairo after riot police failed to keep them at bay with tear gas on December 4.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – An Egyptian woman waves a national flag as demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo on December 4.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A Morsy supporter waves a flag outside the Supreme Constitutional Court as hundreds of supporters of the president protest on Sunday, December 2, in Cairo, forcing judges to postpone a hearing on a constitutional panel at the heart of a deepening political crisis.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A man kisses a portrait of Morsy during a gathering of thousands of Islamists in front of Cairo University on Saturday, December 1.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Thousands pray during a rally in support of Morsy in front of Cairo University on December 1.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – An Egyptian man delivers a speech as protesters gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, November 30.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A man shouts as protesters gather in Tahrir Square on November 30.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A man holds a copy of the Quran and a cross in Tahrir Square on November 30.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Protesters run from Egyptian riot police during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, November 28.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A protester carries a rock during clashes with police on Wednesday.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Egyptians carry a giant national flag as tens of thousands take part in a mass rally in Cairo on Tuesday, November 27, against a decree by President Mohamed Morsy granting himself broad powers.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – An Egyptian protester holds up a Quran and a figure of Christ on the cross during Tuesday's demonstration.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – An Egyptian protester attempts to throw back a tear gas canister on Tuesday during clashes with riot police in Omar Makram Street, off Tahrir Square.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Activists in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Monday, November 26, carry the coffin of Gaber Salah, an activist who died overnight after he was critically injured in clashes in Cairo. Salah, a member of the April 6 movement known by his nickname "Jika," was injured last week during confrontations between police and protesters on Cairo's Mohammed Mahmud street.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Protesters clash with Egyptian police at Simon Bolivar Square on Sunday, November 25, in Cairo. Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood called nationwide demonstrations in support of Islamist President Mohamed Morsy in his showdown with the judges over the path to a new constitution.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy waves to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, November 23. Thousands of ecstatic supporters gathered outside the presidential palace to defend their leader against accusations from rival protesters that he has become a dictator.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Morsy supporters gather outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday. Morsy insisted that Egypt was on the path to "freedom and democracy," as protesters held rival rallies over sweeping powers he assumed that further polarized the country's political forces.

Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Egyptian supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – A man throws a rock during clashes in Alexandria on Friday.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Thousands of demonstrators march through the streets of Cairo to protest against Morsy on Friday.

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Egyptians protest over presidential powers – Clashes rocked the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.

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Story highlights

Judges will meet Monday to decide whether to go on strike, a judge says

210 protesters are arrested, including 44 juveniles, state TV reports

Mohamed ElBaradei says Mohamed Morsy now has more power than Mubarak ever had

President Morsy says his actions are aimed at fostering "political and social stability"

Nearly two years after popular unrest spurred former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's fall, throngs have taken to Egypt's streets again to call for revolution, this time for the ouster of his successor.

Tents dotted Cairo's Tahrir Square, just as they did during the 2011 uprising, and clashes between protesters and police were reported Friday in the capital, the port city of Alexandria and elsewhere around the North African nation. Opposition leaders say they are firm in their resolve and, in Cairo's landmark square at least, scores could be seen milling about overnight and into Saturday morning.

The focus of their anger: President Mohamed Morsy. On Thursday, he announced that courts could not overturn any decree or law he has issued since taking office in June and, beyond that, in the six months until a new constitution is finalized, his spokesman said on state-run TV. He also fired Egypt's general prosecutor, who has been criticized for the insufficient prosecutions of those suspected in demonstrators' deaths in 2011.

In a country already without a parliament, that means the former Muslim Brotherhood leader seems to have total executive, legislative and now judicial authority, all as a new constitution is being written.

"It's unprecedented, it's unimaginable, it's more (power) than Mr. Mubarak ever had," Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate and head of Egypt's Constitution Party, told CNN. "This is the language of a dictator."

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ElBaradei, a one-time head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, estimated there were "millions in the street ... revolting" Friday. Urging "civil disobedience," he and others who unsuccessfully ran for president signaled that they were unified in their opposition to Morsy.

"Endorsing the position of ElBaradei, (former Arab League chief) Amr Moussa and others, I urge all who voted for me to stand with us against the tyranny of the regime," wrote Ahmed Shafik, a former prime minister who received 48% of the vote in this year's presidential run-off, on Twitter.

Despite such opposition, Morsy was defiant and insistent Friday that his actions are in the interests of the Egyptian people.

"I have dedicated myself and my life for democracy and freedom," he told hundreds of supporters outside the presidential palace in Cairo. "The steps I took are meant to achieve political and social stability."

The chair of Egypt's Cabinet, Mohamed Refaa al-Tahtawi, brushed back criticisms that Morsy had made an undemocratic power grab, saying the opposite is true and that Morsy "is not really trying to monopolize power."

"He is trying to have strong pillars for a steady progress toward democracy," al-Tahtawi said. "A dictator would not try to have an elected parliament as soon as possible."

The Cabinet chief added, "I assure you that in the coming days, the opposition will fade away and calm down."

But that sentiment was not shared by everyone.

Mamoun Fandy, a columnist for pan-Arab newspapers Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Ahram who heads a Washington-based think tank, predicted that the opposition will continue to swell and lead to Morsy's ouster "probably (in) a week."

"These people are united," Fandy told CNN. "The critical mass of Egypt is ... moving away from Morsy."

Tensions were brewing days before the president's moves; protesters have been in Tahrir Square since Monday.

The anger had been directed at Morsy and the Islamist movement of which he is a member. The Muslim Brotherhood was banned under Mubarak but has since risen exponentially in stature. There has also been growing turmoil about the constitutional panel, pitting conservatives who want Egypt to be governed by Islam's Sharia law against moderates and liberals pushing for it to ensure basic freedoms, such as for women.

In response to Morsy's recent moves, Egyptian judges will meet Saturday to discuss their next steps, including a possible nationwide strike that would halt all trials and court cases in the country, said Judge Fekri Kharoub. (ElBaradei earlier said judges had already decided to strike.)

On Friday in Tahrir Square, thousands had Morsy in mind as they chanted, "Leave, leave," and "The people want to topple the regime."

Nearby, in front of Egypt's parliament building, thousands of protesters threw rocks as police used their vehicles and tear gas to keep the crowd contained.

The top floor of an eight-story apartment building caught on fire Friday night, a blaze protesters blamed on a police tear gas canister tossed at demonstrators who were on top of the building earlier in the day.

About 215 kilometers (130 miles) north in Alexandria, protesters on Friday stormed the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing and set it on fire, said Ahmed Sobea, a spokesman for the Freedom and Justice Party.

Calling for calm and dialogue, the U.S. State Department expressed concern Friday about the developments, saying, "One of the aspirations of the revolution was to ensure that power would not be overly concentrated in the hands of any one person or institution."

Dr. Khaled al-Khatib, from Egypt's health ministry, reported at least 140 injuries nationwide in the unrest, including 37 in Port Said and 36 in Cairo, according to state-run EGYNews. Eleven police officers were injured, state TV reported, citing the Interior Ministry.

Al-Khatib said there were no deaths, which differs from an earlier report Friday from Health Ministry spokesman Mohamed Sultan of at least one death. ElBaradei said one young man is "critically dead" after being shot in the head, with more than 300 people getting treatment at area hospitals because of tear gas.

Cameras have been installed on residential and government buildings around Tahrir Square so authorities can "capture images of those troublemakers and protesters who attack security forces," said Interior Ministry spokesman Alaa Mahmoud.

Thus far, authorities have arrested 210 protesters, 85 of whom are charged with destroying public property, thuggery and attacking security forces, the Interior Ministry said, according to state TV. Some 44 of those arrested are juveniles who are now back with their families.

"My worry ... is that the while situation will turn ugly, will turn violent if Morsy doesn't rescind (his) decisions (and) engage in dialogue with the rest of the country," ElBaradei said, adding he had met with Morsy a week ago and felt blindsided by his moves.